Hi Mathieu,
I just discovered you are the bassist in Zaz's youtube videos. Big compliments for this! The bass fulfills all the functions, rhythm, harmony, melody - beautiful ! Can you comment on why you are not seen in Zaz shows any more? I know the band is bigger now and there is less space for the bass now ... probably not a challenge for you any more...
Hello riimodar,
First, thanks to your compliments, and happy that you appreciate my playing in this musical context.
To answer your question, it's absolutely not about challenge!
Challenge is in every note you try to play with your soul in harmony with your partners... You can challenge yourself on one single note.... For the band, it's not really bigger (one more guitarist) than past, they just made a few concerts with horns last summer. Now theyr'e 5, we were 4.
I had the chance to be in Zaz's band at the very beginning (2 years after, i called my friend Guillaume, the guitarist) and the musical identity was based on our trio, with our arrangements (we have really work to anticipate every breath she took, to fit and understand her musicaliy etc). Many show cases and musical interviews were in trio (i humbly think it contributed to his popularity) and trust me, it's a challenge when you often discover a new double bass per country for live national radio or TV shows
When comes the time to make tour, Zaz's new sound engineer -for the shows- wanted an electric bass (and an electric guitar) because his opinion was it was less complicated to amplified. I love E.B but i don't play it, and i think that for this show all the tunes can be play with a DB. Imno, the particularity was the acoustic (even in rock parts) feel of the band and the interaction, the "controlled spontaneity" between all the members of the group. It was always the case with the quartet (and before with the trio).
It was not the artistic direction allowed...
Plus moral harrassement (on a tour of more of 80 concerts, we bring ourselves all the amps and the gear in stress -and quickly- by ourselves on stage before and after the show, with a stage manager!), responsabilities that not concerned us and a really paltry (ridiculous) pay for one of the best french sellings/tour of 2010 (on this tour, the less paid were the musicians, at the hotel, i often slept in a twin room (sometimes almost in the same bed) with my buddy while some persons of the crew kept their dignity
But not the musicians.
My bass was broken 2 times by technicians on the tour ( it was not intentional i guess)...
I stop here, 'cause it's a very long list...
At the end of the tour there was more stress and animosity than music. Few persons of the crew projected their fear -to make an error, to be moved from the band- on us. Stressing us. Everyday. All the day. It took unbelievable proportions. So, every musician was exhausted . All of 4 stopped and the tour manager bring his own musicians.
They kept some of my scene arrangements and ideas and made another team. With another sound. Later, they reinstated the guitarist in the band to kept a part of the past identity.
It's sad not touring ever with Zaz and Guillaume, but on the other hand i've reach the more precious thing: time and real desire to play (and work) Music(s). Time and desire for many projects. And time with and for my people.
I hope to have fully (and sincerely) answerded your question.
Best regards,
Mathieu
